August 11, 1942 - Dear Audrey

Jan Palson

11 Aug 2026 — 6 min read

Big Guns! Casemated 12-inch gun at Fort Ruckman. Source: Wikipedia

I wonder how many more letters I’ll have to write before I see you.

He's been out and about. Taking the short pass since you need to request changes in advance. Good to know. We confirm they own a Packard. So a fun family time in Natick. Milk updates. Kessler is a popular whiskey brand. And in case you're wondering, his game looks pretty cool: Kelly Pool per Wikimedia.

Original Letter

Click for Transcript.

Transcript

For context, War Updates from Lynn, MA. (The Daily Evening Item), the Hartford Connecticut Courant along with the Hartford Women's page follow below.

Research, learn and support this page, go to: Newspapers.com.

August 11, 1942

Bat H - 9^th C.A., Fort Ruckman

Dear Audrey:

I’ve just come back from my pass. All Mon. afternoon I hung around trying to see the B.C. to see about changing my pass and he didn’t show up. When he did arrive he said it was all right for me to save my passes up, but when I told him my pass came up that night, he said it was too late. My pass was already made up and was too late to change it. Each time a bunch go on pass they must have enough men around to take care of everything. So, to change my pass at the last minute would mean change the whole schedule. If I say now I will save my next pass when it comes up, I’ll be so crazy to see you I’ll take it. But right now I am thinking of hanging over here the 20^th and have two days for Aug 30. I don’t know what day Aug 30^th comes on but two days with you will be wonderful. I walked up the Worcester Turnpike last night wishing some one going to Conn. would pick me up and I was ready to go. It’s funny but when they hand me that slip of white paper all I can think of is you. I want to see you in the worst way. Anyway a lad from Framingham picked me up and so that decided things for me. I stayed in Natick.

Everyone has gone to Brant Rock or someplace else with the exception of Laura and Dad. Laura was over to Ed and Mabel’s for the night and so over there I went. They were surprised to see me. Ed has bought a 1941 Ford and it is pretty good. He claims he wanted our Packard. Laura mentioned that Betty was going in to Bernice’s in the morning so I called Betty up so as to ride in with her. Well that was all right except she wanted us to go up there for a little while in Ed’s car, which we did, except for a few stops in route. (Say, this is beginning to sound like “little Benny’s Notebook”) Just a few drinks. Lately I’ve been getting my share of the drinks. Homer showed us those pictures we took up in H.H. last Labor Day with Tony, Vicky, and Betty and Homer. What a wife I have. You should see those pictures. Today I intended to go to the ball game but by the time I got into Boston and then got to Bernice’s with Betty it was kind of late. So I dub around all afternoon and then left to come back here around four o’clock. We took a ride on the boat in the Charles River basin and David got a big kick out of it. Well that is the run by run account of how I spent twenty-four hours without my girl. It made me feel bad down in the park. It was so nice there and I could have you with me. Nice shady benches and such nice green grass and me without my girl. What a sad life.

There was no real news to give you. The milk man is still leaving three quarts of milk every day and the ice box is getting full. The old man says he is going to give up drinking Kessler and drink milk. He is an old man too. He is working himself into a early grave. He never gets enough sleep. I got your letter which you wrote Sunday when I got back. You don’t have to worry about those Math classes or my over-doing it. I never get a chance to study and over-doing anything is out of the question. I’m glad to hear you are doing a little walking. I won’t say it will do you good because it never did anyone any good. I hate to walk myself, except with you and at night with a nice moon. But with things the way they are, we haven’t been doing the things we used to. Walking up from the Esplanade tired Betty and Bernice all out. Just a couple of softies. David and I romped up like a couple of ten year olds. I only had twenty cents yesterday afternoon so I decided that it was not much good so I got into a game of Kelly pool. Make or break. Well I won a dollar and so I was elated over the fact I could have a couple of beers on my way.

I dashed down to the barracks and tears off my pants and the change fell out onto the floor. The fellows grabbed for it and would have it no other way but to match for it. Well here was an opportunity to double my wealth. Just a sport at heart. Hm! I left on pass with thirty cents and was lucky to have that. Can you imagine that? It is too bad you have to work over Labor Day or what ever three-day P.W. is closing on. No use talking about it though. I’m enclosing a bill I picked up at home. They have always treated me very good so I feel we should pay it if we can. You do as you feel best. If you do you might enclose a note telling them I’ve been in the Army for the past five or six months. There was another bill but to h-ll with it. Well my darling wife, I’ll close now. I wonder how many more letters I’ll have to write before I see you. I love you very much my one and only.

All my love

Leonard